Chapter 25 #2
The gunman growled as he tossed the radio against the wall, smashing it.
“You want me to go after her?”
“And leave me here? No. No, I don’t know what’s happening right now but I’m not losing another man. Let Wilson and Hammonds handle it. We’ll work this from another angle.”
He raised his gun in the air, firing off another few rounds. Frantic screams filled the room. “Attention, everyone. We have a little situation on our hands. It seems some of you are unaccounted for and wreaking havoc on my team. Anyone with information on who it is…you’ll be handsomely rewarded.”
Alex tugged his lips into a wince. “Oh, no. If someone sells us out…”
“Wait,” Julia said. “This is the break we need. Go with me on this.”
“Julia!” Grant hissed as she stood, waving a hand in the air.
“I think I can help,” Julia said, her voice shaky.
“Juls!” Grant wrinkled his nose as the man trudged over to her.
He grabbed her roughly, shaking her. “Tell me. Who is she?”
“Her name is…umm, Ivy Montgomery. She’s, uh…” Julia swallowed hard as Alex slid his eyes to Grant.
He nodded, Alex rose next to Julia.
“Whoa, sit down,” the man said, shifting his gun toward Alex.
“I know her, too. I just…I know how you can get her to stop doing what she’s doing. But you can’t listen to her because she’s lying to you. That’s not even her name.”
“That’s not true!” Julia shouted.
“It is. I mean, I know you’re trying to help her because she’s your friend, but…I’m not willing to die for her.”
The man shifted his gaze between the two of them before he eyed Alex. “What do you know?”
“Uh, well, her name is actually Livvie Hart, short for Olivia. She hates that nickname, so that’s a potential source of aggravating her…”
“I don’t need to know her nickname. I need to know how to bring her to me.”
“You can’t. And he’s lying,” Julia said with a shake of her head.
“I am not,” Alex said with a shake of his head. “Yeah, you can get her here if you just–”
“No, don’t listen to him. Livvie is a completely fake name. He’s lying. Whatever he says…it’ll tip her off not to come. Trust me.”
The man’s gaze darted back and forth between them. Grant took advantage of his distraction, kicking his leg out and knocking the man off balance.
He toppled backward, the gun spraying bullets into the ceiling as he fell.
“Grab the gun!” Grant shouted as Alex dove for it.
Julia pounced on top of the man, trying to hold him steady as he thrashed.
Grant scrambled across the floor before he cocked a fist and slammed it into the man’s jaw, knocking him out.
The other man stormed across the room, but Alex popped up, aiming the weapon at him.
Grant rose next to him. “I wouldn’t chance it. He’s a crack shot.”
Alex desperately tried to stop the weapon from shaking, raising his chin.
The gunmen narrowed his eyes at Alex, tilting his head. “Somehow I doubt that.”
He took a step toward Alex. Alex’s heart hammered against his ribs as his eyes widened. His breath caught in his throat and his fingers involuntarily squeezed, pulling the trigger.
The gun sprayed out a few bullets before Alex winced, dropping it on the floor.
The other gunman shrieked, dropping his weapon as blood sprayed from his shoulder. Grant lurched forward, grabbing it as the man collapsed to the floor. “I told you he was a crack shot.”
“Tie these two up,” Grant barked to the others in the room. “Alex, grab that gun, and let’s go find your wife.”
Alex snatched the weapon again, grimacing at it as he followed Grant from the room, leaving Julia behind to oversee the two captured men.
“Nice work,” Grant said as they left the room behind.
“Yeah, uh, thanks.” Alex bobbed his head as they wandered through the halls in search of Ava. “Do you have a plan here?”
“Shoot anyone who isn’t Ava,” Grant said with a nod.
“Uhh…” Alex glanced down at the weapon. “Right. I’ll, uh…leave that to you. I’m kind of hoping Ava’s got the other two wrapped up already.”
Grant furrowed his brow. “Your wife’s a unique woman.”
“Yes, she is,” Alex said as they continued to creep through the halls.
They reached a corner, and Grant spun into it, weapon drawn. “Clear.”
Alex swallowed hard as he continued through the hall. His mind wondered what he’d find when they reached Ava. Would the other two men have proved too much for her or was she triumphant?
They approached another corner, and Alex peeked around it. “I think it’s okay.”
He took a step around when a sharp jab smacked him in the chin, knocking him back a few steps before he sprawled across the floor, the gun sliding out of his hands.
A flash of a figure kicked the gun away before he heard a familiar voice. “Alex?”
“Ava?” His eyes widened as he spotted her hovering over him.
“Oh, Alex.” Her features twisted with guilt as she dropped to her knees, cupping his face in her hands. “Oh, babe, are you okay?”
“You’ve got a mean jab, Avs.” He rubbed his chin with a wince.
“I hate to break up your reunion, but there are still two other men roaming around here.”
Ava twisted to face him, shaking her head. “No. We got all four.”
“We?” Alex asked.
“Sebastian and me,” she answered as she stood and pulled him up. “I’m assuming you took care of the men holding you hostage?”
“We did.”
“That leaves only the two with Theodore and the senator.”
Grant knitted his brows.
“They’re after something from the senator,” Ava answered. “We need to make a plan to head in there and finish this.”
“I like the way you think,” Grant said. “Let’s do this.”
They regrouped with Sebastian, and, using the men they’d captured to bargain with to end the hostage situation and turn the vigilantes over to the police.
With a grin, Grant shook the senator’s hand. “Happy to help, Senator.”
Alex slid his arm protectively around Ava, searching her face. “Avs, are you okay?”
“I’m fine. When they burst in here–”
“Well, I should go find Julia. I’d love to introduce you to my wife,” Grant said as he stepped toward the door.
“Wait, Grant…there’s something you should know,” Ava said, her features twisting with concern.
“What?” he asked.
Ava pressed her lips together, her features turning sympathetic. “There was an accident when the men took everyone hostage.”
Confusion scrunched his features. “What are you saying?”
“Grant…I’m so sorry,” Ava answered. “It’s Sierra. She was shot.”
Alex’s heart plummeted, his eyes going wide. Had their misadventures cost his newest ally his daughter?